basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

Questions to ConsiderYou must consider several issues when you are thinking of selling overseas, including:• What foreign needs does your product satisfy?• What products should your company offer abroad?• Should your company modify its domestic market product for sale abroad?Should it develop a new product for the foreign market?• What specific features, such as design, color, size, packaging, brand, labels, andwarranty, should your product have? How important are languages orcultural differences?• What specific services, warranties, and spare parts are necessary abroad at thepresale and postsale stages?• Are your company’s service and repair facilities adequate?Product AdaptationTo enter a foreign market successfully, your company may have to modify itsproduct to conform to government regulations, geographic and climatic conditions,buyer preferences, or standards of living.Your company may also need to modifyits product to facilitate shipment or tocompensate for possible differences inengineering and design standards. Foreigngovernment product regulations are commonin international trade and are expected toexpand in the future. These regulationscan take the form of high tariffs, or theycan be nontariff barriers, such as industrialregulations or product specifications.Governments impose regulations for several reasons:• To protect domestic industries from foreign competition• To protect the health and safety of their citizens• To force importers to comply with environmental controls• To ensure that importers meet local requirements for electrical ormeasurement systemsInternational buyers may havedifferent expectations than U.S.buyers. Packaging, advertising,and labeling requirements canall vary between markets.• To restrict the flow of goods originating in or having components fromcertain countries• To protect their citizens from cultural influences deemed inappropriateDetailed information on regulations imposed by foreign countries is availablethrough your local U.S. Commercial Service office. When a foreign governmentimposes particularly onerous or discriminatory barriers, your company may beable to obtain help from the U.S. government to press for their removal. For moreinformation, call (202) 395-3230 or visit ustr.gov.92U.S. Commercial Service • A Basic Guide to Exporting